Get Happy
by Known Unknowns
Summary: He woke up every morning next to Cuddy, and he never took that for granted.


**Get Happy**

**A House MD Fanfiction**

**Author's Note: This ignores all of season eight, and most of season seven. I hope I'm not the only one who just wanted a happy ending for House. This is essentially what could have been.**

**Author's Note: I don't own House MD!  
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House sometimes could never get over the fact that his life had turned out almost... perfectly.

As their relationship progressed, the incessant fighting and head-butting between him and Cuddy had degenerated to light hearted sniping. The days waking up to an empty bed to find her at her own home or at work became fewer and fewer. Of course, soon enough that became impossible. On their two year anniversary, Cuddy proposed moving in together.

At first, he'd been, well, scared. Giving that much of himself to another person. He hadn't done that since Stacy. Look what had happened then.

After discussing it for a long while, he agreed, somewhat hesitantly. They decided on his place. Rachel had always liked being there. She liked listening to House play the piano, and sometimes she would even bang her tiny fingers on the keys, smiling up at House for approval. Cuddy nearly burst into tears the first time he returned her smile.

House had never been one for marriage, but to Cuddy's shock, after they had been together for four years, he proposed in his own House-like way.

He had put one leg up on the railing of the catwalk over the reception area of the hospital, a megaphone in his hand. She had walked out of her office, sorting through files distractedly when she heard him.

"LISA CUDDY!" He shouted, causing everyone to cover their ears. She jumped, dropping her paperwork and looking up, confused, at House. He smiled down at her, a warm, genuine smile. He had a box in his hand, black and velvet. "Catch!" He yelled, winding up his arm and pitching the box towards her. She didn't know how, but she caught it perfectly in her hands. With shaking fingers, she opened the box. Inside resided a beautiful golden ring, a single black diamond resting in the middle, surround by minute, shining white pearls. She had looked up at him then, tears shining in her eyes, hoping beyond hope that this meant what she thought it meant. "Want to get married?" He had asked, giving her a lazy smirk. Her mouth hanging open, she didn't know how to respond. The patients and hospital staff around her slowly began to clap, encouraging her to answer.

Unable to form coherent words, she placed the ring on her index finger, then held up her hand. She gave House a thumbs up.

The wedding was small. Neither of them had many people in their lives they were close to. Julia was Cuddy's maid of honor. Wilson was House's best man. House remembered looking down the left side of the aisle. His mother sat, smiling brightly at him, seemingly effervescent to finally see her only son happy. Chase, Foreman, Thirteen, Taub, Cameron, Sam and Masters were there as well. Stacy sat in the back, her jet black hair out of place in the generally white decor of the wedding. He didn't know why he had invited her, but he felt like he needed to. On the other side of the aisle, he saw Cuddy's mother, seated next to Julie's husband, giving him a look that screamed "I swear to Yahweh if you hurt her, I'll tear you a new asshole."

Arlene. Always a joy.

Rachel was the flower girl. She had thrown nearly the entire basket within the first few feet, so she gave each person seated in the aisles one flower petal to tide them over.

They wrote their own vows. They sure as hell weren't going typical. They had booked a church, but a judge was pronouncing their union, not a priest. Cuddy remembered their vows vividly.

"Ahem." House had cleared his throat loudly, looking at the paper in his hands. He looked into her eyes, and she knew in that moment she was perfectly happy spending the rest of her life with the lunatic in front of her. "Lisa Cuddy, I promise to spend the rest of my life making yours more difficult, no matter what."

Cuddy's had been only slightly longer.

"Greg House, I promise to spend the rest of my life making sure that between Wilson and I, you never have a moment free of good-natured nagging." Wilson and House had both grinned at this. Wilson had been on cloud nine when he had heard of their upcoming nuptials.

They kissed, sealing the deal. Their honeymoon consisted of renting a cottage on Lake Michigan for two weeks, away from the rest of the world.

When they came back, they settled into married life, which was pretty much the same as before. Only now they had to get used to the fact that calling Cuddy 'Cuddy' didn't really make sense anymore. Everyone called her Dr. House in the professional environment. Wilson called her Lisa. House still called her Cuddy.

"It's not even my last name anymore." She had complained when he called her it on their honeymoon.

"What do you mean, last name? Everyone knows your first name is Cuddy." He had said sarcastically.

Eventually, as they aged, he began calling her Lisa, much to her surprise. He was still always House though. Something inside of her wouldn't let her change that. She had never considered him to be anyone but House... and in a way, it seemed like calling him Greg would be like stealing Stacy's affectionate nickname for him.

Rachel was delighted by their engagement. House had been in her life since she was three years old. Memories of Lucas had long faded, and Cuddy believed that in Rachel's mind, House was her father. Seeing the two of them bond over the years had warmed her so much on the inside. Seeing him read to her, play the piano while she sat on the bench next to him, watch that ridiculous pirate cartoon together...

The first time Rachel called House dad instead of 'House', she wasn't sure if it was intentional or accidental. Rachel had been eight at the time, House and Cuddy's one year wedding anniversary was nearing. House had been leaning over her shoulder, helping her with her fractions.

"Look at it like a pie." House said, drawing a pie on the paper for her.

"That's not a pie." Rachel had said with a frown. "Pies have little holes on the top." House had sighed. He drew little holes on the pie.

"Fine, now it's a pie. Look, if I take away one fourth, which is this much," He crossed of a quarter of the pie. "how much do you have left?"

"...three fourths?" She asked hesitantly. House nodded.

"Three fourths. Good job." He placed the pencil down, and went to rejoin Cuddy in making dinner when he heard the quiet words behind him.

"Thanks, Dad."

From that moment on, House had always been Dad. Always. House had even taken up calling Rachel 'his little girl' in later years.

Eventually, the family moved into a house in the suburbs near Princeton. It was large and brighter than House's apartment, with a big backyard. On a whim one weekend, he built Rachel a swing set.

By the time Rachel entered middle school, Cuddy felt as though she had everything she had ever wanted. A good job, a husband, and a daughter. Everything was perfect. House was happy. He had his puzzles. He had her and Rachel, and of course he had Wilson. House had elected to combining time with the two of them. Wilson was there almost constantly on the weekends. Rachel called him 'Uncle Wilson'. Wilson said it made him feel old, but he always smiled when she said it.

"Chinese night is her favorite night of the week." House had mentioned to Wilson one time. Chinese night was Fridays. The four of them (Rachel, Cuddy, Wilson and House) would order takeout and watch movies.

Wilson was happy. He and Sam had gotten married about two years after they started seeing each other again. Sam was pregnant around the same time Rachel turned twelve. Nine months later, Wilson was holding his beautiful son in his arms.

House was the third to hold the baby, Cuddy the fourth, Rachel (with careful hands) the fifth. He already had a mop of dark brown hair, and unusually thick eyebrows.

"Damn." House had cursed. "He looks just like you. How unfortunate for the poor child."

Wilson had laughed. He named his son Cooper. Cooper Aaron Wilson. Wilson asked House to be the godfather, and Cuddy his godmother. They agreed.

Rachel loved Cooper. When a babysitter couldn't be found, Rachel would be the first to volunteer. House had noticed that for a thirteen year old, Rachel was remarkably responsible... and remarkably smart. She was quick witted and snarky, but kind at the same time. She didn't have the scathing sarcasm that characterized House, but it was undeniable the similarities in their personalities. She had her mother's ambition, and House's ability to be easily bored. By the time she was thirteen, she could play the piano, the guitar, the flute, and the saxophone. She also played chess. House had taught her as she started her seventh grade year. She practiced non-stop, her heart completely set on beating House.

Six months later, House sat staring at the board, unable to understand how a teenager had just kicked his ass at chess.

Rachel was involved with her school. She had joined the chess club following House's instruction, she was a dedicated marching band member (percussion), and she was in student council as well. By the time she was in eighth grade, she was student council president. All of Rachel's report cards were pinned on the fridge. Straight As. House was proud of his little girl.

When Rachel turned fifteen, Wilson and Sam had their second child, a little girl. Amber Remy Wilson. She had beautiful blue eyes, even once she matured. Amber looked like Sam, Cooper looked like Wilson.

"You better hope they don't have the same taste as you guys do. Incest is looked down upon in most societies." House had quipped.

They all got older and grayer. But they were happy. One tragedy House remembered was Thirteen's death. He had found out later that she had been in prison when she mysteriously disappeared. He offered to euthanize her when the Huntington's started to catch up with her. He did.

It was one of the hardest things he had ever done in his entire life.

Chase, Foreman, Masters, and Taub continued to work for him. House was sixty one when Foreman finally resigned, moving to another hospital. Taub had two children by two different women at this point. Masters was no longer a scared little girl, but a confident thirty one year old woman. She had definitely grown into herself, and Chase had noticed.

They got married a few days before Rachel's sixteenth birthday.

Rachel was a beautiful girl. Boys soon began to realize this. Rachel and him had gotten into a bit of an argument when he had scared off the first boy she had over. House had decided to sharpen his knives menacingly in the living room while Rachel and the boy had watched TV. He had made and excuse and left early, and Rachel had rounded on him, the same cold fire he had seen so often in her mother alight in her.

"Dad, I get you're trying to be the protective parent, but this is taking it too far." She snapped, long dark hair flying as she stalked over to him, taking a now very sharp butcher knife out of his hand. She gave him an angry glare.

"What? His nose was too big. You can do better." He said, shrugging. "You said you had more important things to worry about than boys. What changed?"

"Everybody lies." Rachel had responded cryptically with a waggle of her eyebrows. She strolled out of the living room, heading towards her bedroom. "Don't meddle Dad, I've already got Wilson and Mom for that." He had smirked. Once she entered high school, she had finally started calling him Wilson like House and Cuddy did.

Rachel's boyfriends versus House became a seemingly never ending battle for the next year and a half. But when she was almost eighteen and in her senior year of high school, she had introduced him to Chance. Clever, good looking, down to earth but completely loaded. Already had gotten admitted to Harvard Law. House couldn't think of anything to complain about.

She had looked beautiful in a silver dress as she walked down the stairs on the day of her senior prom. He was remind starkly of a younger Cuddy, but then reminded himself that she wasn't Cuddy's biological daughter. Many pictures had been taken. One of House, hair and beard now silver, with his arm draped over her and his trademark smirk, and then Rachel, young, youthful, and vibrant.

He kept it in his wallet for the rest of his life, alongside one of him, Wilson, Cuddy, and Rachel (being held by Cuddy) from the Christmas after House had been released from Mayfield.

House didn't tell Rachel the more intimate details of his younger life until she was older. He had pestered the information about his leg out of him by the time she was ten, but she didn't know the depths of the madness that had been his late thirties and forties until she was about to graduate.

"You hallucinated sleeping with Mom and told the whole hospital?" She said, to clarify. He could tell Rachel wasn't judging him.

"The vicodin, losing Kutner, Amber, my dad... it all kind of just came to a head. I lost it."

"How long were you in Mayfield?" She asked.

"Three months."

"And you've been clean since then?"

"Yes. Thanks to your Mom, and you."

"Me?"

"I used the vicodin to numb myself because I was miserable. You guys... I didn't have any reason to go back to the pills. My leg will always hurt, but when I have my family, my job, my friends... why do I need to ruin that?"

He was afraid Rachel would look at him differently once had explained the depths of his addiction. She didn't. In fact, House felt like after that they were closer.

Rachel's graduation day had been one of the most bittersweet moments of his life. Seeing her walking up, enrobed in blue, and grab that diploma, then give her Valedictorian speech... he had welled up with pride. And tears, which Cuddy had brushed away with a hand. House looked at her. Even with hints of silver creeping into her hair and more defined laugh lines on her face, House still thought the elderly Cuddy was just as beautiful as the nineteen year old one he had met at college so many years ago.

Rachel moved out three months later into a small apartment in Princeton. She got a job, enrolled in college. She went to medical school on a full scholarship, Princeton specifically. She did a double major in infectious disease and endocrinology.

Although House was at retirement age, he didn't think for a second of quitting. With Rachel gone, he needed something to occupy himself with. Sometimes he felt odd, looking at his team, especially Chase and Masters, who seemed so old compared to when he had hired them. Chase was in his late forties, a slight hint of gray creeping into his long blond hair. It made him feel old. Well, he was old. They were all old. House was in his mid sixties, Wilson his late fifties.

He was grateful for Wilson's kids when Rachel moved out. He saw her almost every day of course, but having an adult child is completely different from having a small child who needs you. Five year old Cooper and three year old Amber were adorable, and he felt almost as though roles had been reversed when they began referring to them as Uncle House and Aunt Lisa. He loved the little tykes.

Life went on. He woke up every morning next to Cuddy, and he never took that for granted. Sometimes he would look in the mirror, and just be amazed at how far he'd come from the drug addicted misanthrope passed out on his apartment floor.

When Rachel graduated from medical school in the top three percent, House had given her their house. He and Cuddy retired together. House was in his seventies, Cuddy in her sixties. They got a motor home, and they traveled. House left the department to Chase. He knew it was in good hands.

Rachel got married to Chance. Had two beautiful kids. Greg and Lisa. House was a happy grandparent. He spoiled the kids rotten, despite Rachel's protests.

Cooper followed in Wilson's footsteps and went to medical school. Amber had different ambitions. As soon as she was out of high school, she went on a missionary trip to Peru for two years.

They were both perfect, good natured little Wilsons.

House was shocked to find on his eightieth birthday that maybe things hadn't changed all that much in the past forty or so years. He still loved Cuddy. Wilson was still his best friend. He was just happier... a better man. Rachel had made sure of that.

House, Wilson, and Cuddy sat on Wilson's front porch. He now lived in a large farmhouse out in the woods by Princeton. He had retired several years earlier.

"Crazy, isn't it?" Wilson said, running a hand through his gray hair. "Who would've ever thought we'd all get a happy ending?" House snorted in derision, lifting the beer he had been sipping at to his lips.

"No one. I don't think for one second any of us ever thought it'd be all flowers and rainbows in the end."

"It's like opening doors to find the right one. We all just walked into about three hundred doors with vicious, man eating dogs on the other side before we all found the right ones." Cuddy said philosophically.

"Yeah." House agreed, staring at the scenery around them. He looked at Cuddy, his brows furrowed.

"What's wrong?" She asked. House shook his head.

"Nothing. Everything's good. Really good." He answered. When they had left Wilson's that night, he embraced his friend for the first time in many years.

"I love you, Wilson. Thanks for staying with me through it all." Wilson looked back, the classic analytical look in his deep brown eyes.

"House...?" He trailed off. House smiled sadly. "I love you, too, but-" House covered his mouth with his hand.

"No need to psychoanalyze." He hugged Sam and Cooper as well, ruffling Cooper's hair as he did. Amber was still in Peru, her absence was strongly felt.

They left and met Rachel and her family for dinner. Rachel worked at PPTH now, in diagnostics. She worked with Masters, and another newer fellow named Oliver. She worked under Chase, who House liked to point out was 'aging tragically'.

It was nice as always, but both Rachel and Cuddy noticed how withdrawn House was. When they had gotten up to leave the restaurant, he shook Chance's hand, hugged both of his grandchildren close, and swept Rachel up in a tight embrace.

"I love you, Rach." He said quietly. "You'll always be my little girl." Rachel had pulled back, looking at him quizzically. He had softened over the years, but not that much.

"I love you too, Dad."

They left the restaurant, and Cuddy cornered him as they went into the small one bedroom home they kept in Princeton for when they were in town.

"What's been with you today?" She asked, taking off her coat. "You're brooding, and you've been getting much more touchy-feely than usual." House looked at her, biting the inside of his lip.

"I feel different. I felt like I needed to say those things." Cuddy still looked lost. House sighed, taking her wrinkled hand. "Let's just go to bed." Cuddy nodded.

She fell asleep in his arms, like every night for the past twenty six years. Tomorrow was their wedding anniversary, he realized. He kissed Cuddy gently on the temple, careful not to wake her.

"I love you." He whispered, letting his head loll back into the pillows as he drifted to sleep.

House died peacefully in his sleep that night.

At the funeral, Wilson couldn't help that House would savor the irony that despite his daredevil lifestyle, he died in a way most people would kill for. Peacefully. Without pain, next to the woman he loved.

Cuddy passed away several months later. Rachel would tell her children when they were older that she died of a broken heart.

Rachel sat in her living room, watching some mindless reality show with Chance. The kids, now teenagers, were upstairs sleeping. She stood up abruptly, heading over to the picture that stood on her mantle. It was a picture of House, Cuddy and Wilson at a casino style hospital fundraiser that they had attended several years before she was born. They were young. House's hair was completely brown, his face relatively wrinkle free. Wilson looked dashing, Cuddy beautiful in a cocktail dress. House had an eyebrow raised at Wilson, puffing on a large cigar that combined with his tux made her think of James Bond.

She missed her mother and father more than ever, but she couldn't help but smile at the picture.

She had always loved to see Dad smile.

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**Author's Note: Please review with what you think. Sometimes I like to fool myself and think that it all ended perfectly... of course, it doesn't work like that with House, does it?**


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